Tuesday, January 26, 2010

AKIC Wedsunday

Morrissey, G. Gordon Liddy, and Tony

What's with Morrissey, the former lead singer of the Smiths and the American Right? I remember once dropping out of my seat reading a City Journal article that paired the singer with the poet Phillip Larkin. And then yesterday, I played a podcast from the G. Gordon Liddy Show which began with Morrissey's solo hit "The Last of the International Playboys". Half the song was played when Liddy then began to speak saying that the Morrissey song could have been written for him. Liddy was referring to the lyrics in the song about being in prison.

In truth, Morrissey can only make Conservatives shudder. He supports animal rights, vegetarianism, navel-gazing, sullen posing, and blasphemy. One of his songs goes "There are some bad people on the right".

But no one should take a musician's politics too seriously.

Tony does like watching some Morrissey videos. There is one video, that always grabs Tony's attention, where Morrissey goes to, presumably, the hometown and grave site of James Dean. Tony sits still whenever it is played. I thinks he likes the song's melody. It was a good day, good day....

TESCO tomorrow?

Possibly.

Tony at the playground

Jenny has a card for an indoor playground located on the third floor of the shopping center on Zhongshan Road that houses a Papa John's Pizza parlour. I took Tony there on Tuesaturday afternoon. I let Tony loose in the place while I read some GKC. Tony had himself a ball while I read as good a encapsulation of Confucianism as you ever going to find (expect me to put in a future links and quotes entry).

The only trouble Tony had was when he first tried to cross a "swinging bridge" -- he didn't seem to know how to walk on these boards placed about six inches apart on meshing. Tony got one of his legs stuck between the boards and I had to pull him out. I showed him how to walk on the boards by holding on to the side handrails. After that, he was fine -- he was a quick learner on one score.

The only trouble he had with the authorities involved a toy truck and a corkscrew slide. Tony found this toy truck, about a foot long and six inches across, and took it all over the playground, pushing it along the barrier of the ball pool, and pushing it on the floor of the playground. He thrust the truck about twenty feet one time. Tony then got it into his head to take the truck with him to the second level of the playground. There he went to the top of the cork screw slide and let the truck go down it, earning the instant approbation of the attendants who took the truck away. I found it amusing but very quickly, Tony put on such a fit that the attendants had to give the truck back to him. I dealt with him in the end, and he quickly found something else to take his interest.

I figure Tony ran about a kilometer, all told, in the two hours he was there.

Conversation with Smemgy? Not.

How about I calls you Smemgy?

No!! What kind of goddamn name is that?

Oh Boy! I guess Pascal is correct when he says "There is an internal war between reason and the passions. If he had only reason without passions... If he only passions without reason... But having both, he cannot be without strife, being unable to be at peace with the one without being at war with the other. Thus he is always divided and opposed to himself."

I choose that name to cause strife. I won't call you that. I will think of something much better. How about Pascal?

No. I don't think we (you mean I, or I mean you) could pull it off. I suggest you think of another name, you moron.

Who are you calling a moron?

You.

Me?

No. the other guy.... Well, of course, I mean you. You dimwit.

Really. Up yours!

Up Yours! Double twice!

Ah. I love this jocular swearing. Nothing like men exchanging swear words in friendly jest, or manly love.

You mean I am a man?

Yes. Of course. Why would I make you a woman?

Maybe, you have a feminine side.

A little. But still. I know people who have much bigger feminine sides than me.

Anyway, you will be a man. I will give you a male name and a little bit of a feminine side.

What?

Just enough of a feminine side to take my wife's side, should the need ever arise.

So mean I am a devil's and wife's advocate?

Yes.

But, doesn't that mean your wife is kind of like a devil?

No, it doesn't have to. It is just two of many roles you get to play.

Can I be Fred Astaire?

I don't think we (I and you) could pull it off.

Okay. I will ask you a question. How come, AKIC only tangentially refers to China?

AKIC is more about AK than C, I readily admit. But my mind is onto other more interesting things like Catholicism and U.S. politics. China has such boring politics and I can't be bothered to read government pronouncements. Everywhere else in the world, there is this palpable political tension in the air from political opposition. Here, there is nothing. None of the students seem to an active interest in the betterment of their community of country.

What about Chinese culture?

I am trying to learn the writing and I do try to read English translations of old Chinese novels. But the current popular culture bores me. It is all bubble gum idiotic pop music. But anything that is said to be old here, has been restored and so you have to doubt its' authenticity.

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AKIC

I am Canadian. I have lived in Wuxi, China since September 2004. I teach English. In this blog, I recount the things I have seen and the experiences I have had here in Wuxi. I also make comments on things that strike my reactionary fancy.